Elm Lodge As part of the Forest Care group, residents at Elm lodge benefit from over 44 years of caring experience and five-star hospitality led by resident’s choice. The team at Elm Lodge are delighted to have featured in the Knight Frank Luxury Care Home Guide 2026.
Kara brings 18 years of dedicated experience in the care sector, combining extensive expertise, deep industry knowledge, and a genuine passion for enriching the lives of older adults. Known for delivering outstanding, person-centred care, she understands that moving into a residential community is a significant milestone. She is committed to ensuring Elm Lodge is more than just a place to live – it is a true home defined by warmth, dignity, and a vibrant sense of community.
As Home Manager, Kara oversees the daily operations at Elm Lodge, leading a carefully selected team of skilled professionals with a leadership style grounded in empathy, open communication, and the highest clinical and hospitality standards. She is proud to introduce this luxury, state-of-the-art facility to the heart of Hartley Wintney, sharing her vision: “My goal is to combine Elm Lodge’s cutting-edge facilities with a deeply compassionate, family-oriented environment. We aren’t just providing exceptional care; we are building a vibrant, supportive community where residents can truly thrive.”
Sarah, originally from Wales, joined Elm Lodge in August 2024 as our Wellbeing Coordinator after spending 4 years in a Senior Carer role. She was delighted to be promoted to Deputy Manager in April 2025. Sarah works closely with Kara, managing the day-to-day running of Elm Lodge and the clinical care of our residents. This involves supporting the Care Supervisor, Senior Carers and Care Assistants and collaborating with our home GP, and other multi-disciplinary teams to ensure our residents receive the very best care. Sarah comments “the best thing about my job is that I get to spend time with our lovely residents and their families, making sure our residents are happy and healthy.”
Lisa joined Elm Lodge in August 2024 as our Home Administrator. She is responsible for the day-to-day running of our home, supporting our Home Manager Kara and the team. Lisa has over 6 years’ experience in the care industry and is a hard-working, enthusiastic individual who is passionate about looking after our residents, their families, and our staff. Lisa is a kind, compassionate individual and always puts the needs of others ahead of her own.
Cheyanne is our Care Supervisor at Elm Lodge. She began her career in care at our Cedar Lodge home at the age of 16, spending 10 years there gaining valuable experience and developing a strong passion for supporting others. After travelling for six months, she worked in domiciliary care, supporting young adults with autism, before rejoining Forest Care, our company that she already knew and respected. Cheyanne is a dedicated and compassionate leader, committed to supporting residents and their families. She is an advocate for personalised care, ensuring each resident’s care plan is tailored to their individual needs.
Our compassionate, experienced and dedicated care team comprises of Senior Carers and Care Assistants who help residents with their personal care, day-to-day living, and immediate needs. Our aim is to improve the quality of life for our residents with a safe, comfortable, happy, ‘home-from-home’ environment providing support and care to enable residents to retain choices, preferences, and independence.
Our Carers work selflessly in striving to deliver the highest standards of person-centred care to our residents. To provide the care our residents deserve, we set our staffing levels above industry-standard ratios, to enable a more relaxed environment for our residents where person-centred care can be delivered without having to be rushed.
Our Activities Team prioritise resident wellbeing with meaningful and joyful group, individual and one-to-one activities and experiences adapted to the daily wishes of residents and supported by their life stories. Some of the many activities we provide are; cultural days, themed tea parties and dining experiences, arts & crafts, beauty sessions, exercise classes, trips out to nearby attractions, live musical entertainers and visiting animals.
Niranjan joined the Elm Lodge team in September 2024, having worked as a Head Chef for more than 10 years. His passion for cooking is unrivalled. Niranjan and his dedicated team are an integral part of Elm Lodge’s operations, providing the catering for Elm Lodge’s internal and external events, from meetings and exhibitions to gala dinners, banquets, and special family occasions, alongside the day-to-day running of The Hartley Restaurant.
Working with our Hospitality team, Niranjan compiles event checklists, oversees and trains his team, manages the culinary budget, plans tailored menus, organises tastings, prepares dishes and masterminds some of the most creative cuisine our residents have ever seen.
Alex joined the Elm Lodge team in August 2024 as our Hospitality Manager. He is passionate about food and nutrition and has a great eye for detail. Quality of food is a top priority at Elm Lodge and Alex and his team ensure our residents receive outstanding food, catering for personal preferences and specific dietary requests.
Every team is integral to the running of Elm Lodge, and we are fortunate to have a team of hardworking and compassionate individuals within housekeeping, which comprises of domestic and laundry. Not only do they help with the smooth running of the home, but they also contribute to the social and hospitality experience our residents enjoy.
Mark is our Maintenance Manager at Elm Lodge, ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for all residents, staff, and visitors. With over 15 years of experience in building management, Mark oversees the upkeep of the building, equipment, and the grounds. His attention to detail and proactive approach ensures that everything runs smoothly, creating a secure and welcoming home for residents and staff alike. Passionate about delivering high standards, Mark takes pride in contributing to the overall wellbeing of the community.
Luke is our talented Groundsman who ensures our outdoor spaces are kept beautifully presented and a place to relax for our residents and their families. Luke maintains our wildflowers, plants and trees, he continually brings new ideas to our outdoor spaces and helps to build new features within our gardens for our residents to explore.
Every month we celebrate the hard work of our team by choosing an Employee of the Month. Residents, relatives and employees can all nominate individuals. Congratulations to Stella and Jeff who are both our Employees of the Month for June!
Every year we celebrate the long service of our staff with our Years of Service Awards at Forest Care. We thank staff with gifts of flowers, chocolates and vouchers and celebrate with cake and bubbly!
An employee who successfully refers a friend to Forest Care will receive £500 when their friend has successfully completed 6 months of continuous employment with Forest Care. (Payment subject to PAYE deductions).
